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Pros and Cons of Assigning Homework
Whether or not students should be receiving homework is a hot topic right now in education. As a special education teacher, I have to be honest; I really can see both sides of the argument, and I don’t know yet on which side I fall. Pro: Additional Practice Homework provides your students with additional practice in the lessons that you are teaching in school. It seems like every year the curriculum gets more and more difficult. That every year we are required to cover even more, yet if we get rid of homework how are we expected to cover it all? In math especially, homework allows the students to get additional practice with…
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Why You Should Be Using Exit Tickets in Your Classroom
What are Exit Tickets? An exit ticket is when you have the students respond to a prompt, answer a question, solve a problem, some activity that you have students do and pass in to be able to leave at the end of class. An exit ticket is a great way to get an on the spot assessment of how the students are doing, or for the students to reflect on their learning. Exit Tickets for Assessment Exit tickets are a great way to get a sense of how your class is doing. What was the objective of your lesson? If you wanted to make sure that the students knew how…
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Launch Your Blog Business Review
Are you thinking of starting a blog? Or have you recently started a blog and you’re just not sure what to do to get to up and running? If you have an interest in blogging, check out Create and Go they have amazing courses for bloggers of all kinds. When I first started this blog I did everything wrong. I tried to create a profitable blog without doing my research or having a plan. That’s where Alex and Lauren come in. Alex and Lauren, who are behind Create and Go created a course just for people like me. Their course Launch Your Blog Business is designed for beginner bloggers. …
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Books for your Middle School Library
I currently teach inclusion special education in the eighth grade. When I am picking books for my classroom library, I always want to make sure I’m picking books that suit the needs of my students. Many of my students have difficulties with reading. Because of that, when I am looking for books for my classroom I like to make sure that I have books that are high-interest and 5-6 grade reading level. I do also keep books that are on grade level because I do have students who are reading on grade level. These books I have listed are high interest, but lower than eighth-grade difficulty. Harry Potter Box Set by…
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Benefits of Color-Coding for your Middle School Students
Do I show signs of OCD because I’m a teacher, or am I a teacher because I show signs of OCD? Really it’s the chicken-or-the-egg debate all over again. But, to get down to business, I color-code EVERYTHING! Color-Coding Color-coding is a tool that adults use to keep themselves organized. If this works so well for us, why don’t we use this tool for our students too? Color-Coding in Math I use color-coding when teaching multi-step equations. I will update this post with a picture to illustrate this but I am writing this post from home. We teach the students to use “DCVS” when solving multi-step equations. DCVS stands for…
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Tips to Spring Clean Your Classroom!
It’s April! The weather hasn’t seemed to catch on yet, but it is officially spring-time! Here are some ways to spring clean your classroom. Wipe down everything! There are so many germs that have come through our classrooms this winter. I personally feel like I am wiping down all of my surfaces every day. But, take the time to thoroughly wipe down every surface in your room with a disinfectant. Don’t forget all of your student computers, your markers, and everywhere that the little hands touch. But also, wipe down your teacher desk. This winter you have had substitutes, paraprofessionals, and other adults in your room. Don’t forget to clean…
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Why I Email Parents Everyday
In the past, I have shared other posts about parent communication (see: 5 Things to Remember when Talking to Parents and Using Social Media for Parent Communication. To have a successful special education classroom or any classroom for that matter. Having a positive relationship with parents is so important. So I am going to tell you why I email parents EVERY DAY! That’s too much! I know, it sounds crazy to email parents every day, but it is a simple email every afternoon. I send home a mass email with all of the need to know information. Every day, I send home an email with that day’s homework and any other valuable information. …
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My March 2018 Book Reviews
I read two pretty good books this month and one dud. I was very excited that it was my turn to pick a book for book club and it was pretty well liked! And we never agree! The Identicals by Elin Hildebrand I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. In the past, I was a huge fan of Hildebrand’s work. She writes books that are fun, light, and entertaining. After reading many of her books, I started to get bored with them. But, I keep reading them. After reading The Rumor last year, I started falling in love with her work. The Identicals was an entertaining story of…
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5 Ways to Bring in Extra Cash
As a teacher, we’re not known for being in a profession where we’re making a ton of money. But like everyone I have bills to pay and want to still live a life I can enjoy. Because of this, I am always looking for ways to pick up some extra money. I have compiled a list of all the things I do or have done to bring in some extra spending cash. None of these are going to make you instantly rich, but if you put a little time into them, you can earn some side cash. 1. Start a Blog If I can start a blog, then anyone with…
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Special Education – Providing Services Discreetly
I am an eighth-grade special education teacher. One of the more difficult parts of my job is finding ways to provide my students with their accommodations, without making them self-conscious. Working in a middle school, often the students’ main priority is being cool and fitting in. The last thing that they want is to be identified as someone with a disability, or to have their friends think that they’re “stupid” (their word, not mine!) Constantly getting extra attention from teachers, or being pulled out of the classroom is a definite way to put a target on students’ backs. I work hard to give my students all the help that they…
